Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Thor Thoreson. A student of Marguerite Wildenhain from 1970-73, Thor talks about his time at the Pond Farm School and the influence of Wildenhain’s modernist teachings. He came to Pond Farm at the suggestion of Dean Schwartz, a ceramics teacher at Luther College who sent many students to study with Wildenhain. Schwartz later compiled the comprehensive text on Pond Farm, titled Marguerite Wildenhain and the Bauhaus: An Eyewitness Anthology. In addition to the interview, this episode features an audio tour of the surviving buildings at the Pond Farm School given by Thoreson.

Wildenhain immigrated to the US after studying at Walter Gropius’s Bauhaus school in Weimar, Germany. While there she studied with sculptor Gerhard Marcks and potter Max Krehan, later taking this master/student teaching style to Pond Farm. The school was founded in the early 1940’s seventy-five miles north of San Francisco by Gordon and Jane Herr. Pond Farm is now on the national register of historical places and is part of the California State Park system. For more information on visiting Pond Farm visit www.150.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=27610.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by AMACO, your one-stop-shop for all your ceramic needs. To find out more visit www.AMACO.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a panel discussion featuring Shannon Garson, Linda Fahey, Gerry Wedd, and Joel Blum. The discussion was prompted by the Omnus Terra: All Lands exhibition, which was curated by Garson and Fahey. Featuring seven American and seven Australian artists, the exhibition was aimed at cultural exchange and interpretation. They said of the project, “like the scientific expeditions of the great explorers, Omnus Terra reaches out to far flung nations bringing a cargo of exotic, mysterious, mesmerizing objects to a foreign shore. The artists explore the relationship between their landscape, ceramic history and culture, questioning the historical tropes of the ceramic medium through form and material.” The panel was recorded live in Portland, OR at Gallery 114 in conjunction with the 2017 NCECA conference.

For more information about Shannon Garson visit www.shannongarsonporcelain.com.au. For more information on Linda Fahey visit www.yondershop.com. For more information on Gerry Wedd search @gerrywedd on Instagram. For more information on Joel Blum visit www.fetishghost.wordpress.com.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by AMACO, your one-stop-shop for all your ceramic needs. To find out more visit www.AMACO.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Graham Marks. He worked in ceramics from 1968 to 1992 making large earthenware vessels that are reminiscent of seeds, geodes and other earthworks. Along with an active studio practice he taught at Kansas State University (1976-1978), Rochester Institute of Technology (1980-1986) and was the head of ceramics/artist in residence at the Cranbook Academy of Art from 1986-1992. After becoming engaged in a protest movement against nuclear activity around Alleghany County, NY, he started to transition away from ceramics, with a desire to directly help his community. Around the same time he started studying acupuncture, training with noted English acupuncturist J.R. Worsley, and starting his own practice in 1995. He now maintains a private acupuncture practice in Manhattan, NYC.

In our interview we talk about his early training as a dancer, the role of structured improvisation in creativity, and his transition to acupuncture. To see examples of his clay work visit www.grahammarksceramics.com. To find out more about his acupuncture practice visit www.grahammarksacupuncture.com.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by AMACO, your one-stop-shop for all your ceramic needs. To find out more visit www.AMACO.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Matt Metz. Based in Alfred, NY he makes black porcelain pots that are covered with slips and carved through to reveal patterns in low relief. Over more than three decades he has developed a personal iconography that includes floral, geometric and figurative imagery. In our interview we talk about the value of solitary work, methods for evolving within a studio practice, and making a living as a potter. For more information on Matt visit www.schallergallery.com. This episode also features a mini interview with Brian Jones about the relaunch of his ceramic podcast The Jonescast. For more information visit www.jonescast.com.

This episode of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by Omnus Terra. The exhibition invites seven Australian and seven American artists, including former podcast guests Vicki Grimma, Shannon Garson, Jane Sawyer and Linda Fahey, to create a dialogue between the two cultures through a shared connection to clay. Like the scientific expeditions of the great explorers, “Omnus Terra” reaches out to far flung nations bringing a cargo of exotic, mysterious, and mesmerising objects to a foreign shore. The artists explore their landscape, ceramic history and culture, questioning the historical tropes of the ceramic medium through form and material. The exhibition will take place at Gallery 114 in Portland, OR, March 22-25 in conjunction with the 2017 NCECA conference. For more information please visit www.yondershop.com and look for the Omnus Terra link.

This episode of Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by Sonoma Ceramics in Sonoma, California. They are one of the North Bay’s leading ceramics studios, offering clay experiences for all ages, levels, and financial means. They will be hosting the Artstream Ceramics Symposium from March 31- April 2. The symposium consists of three days of exhibitions, conversations and demonstrations by internationally-known ceramics artists from the Artstream Nomadic Gallery. Doug Bro, Julia Galloway and Ben Carter will be demonstrating and representing three generations that work with diverse techniques and materials. Take this opportunity to experience historic Sonoma through clay! To register please visit www.SonomaCeramics.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Shoko Teruyama. Her colorful earthenware pottery features drawings of vines, floral motifs, and narrative characters depicting personal experiences and folklore. She uses the vessel as a canvas for her drawings and says, “Many of the forms allude to function and would serve food well, but are more comfortable being placed in sacred spaces of the home like the center of a formal dining room table, a hope chest, or a bedside stand.” In the interview we talk about Shinto temple architecture, her approach to pattern and using fictional characters to embody personal experiences.

Teruyama was raised in Mishima, Japan and has lived in the United States since 1997. She has been a resident artist at the Penland School of Craft and has an MFA from Wichita State University. You can find out more about her work at www.shokoteruyama.com.

This episode of Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by Sonoma Ceramics in Sonoma, California. They are one of the North Bay’s leading ceramics studios, offering clay experiences for all ages, levels, and financial means. They will be hosting the Artstream Ceramics Symposium from March 31- April 2. The symposium consists of three days of exhibitions, conversations and demonstrations by internationally-known ceramics artists from the Artstream Nomadic Gallery. Doug Bro, Julia Galloway and Ben Carter will be demonstrating and representing three generations that work with diverse techniques and materials. Take this opportunity to experience historic Sonoma through clay! To register please visit www.SonomaCeramics.com.

This episode of the podcast is also sponsored by Alfred University School of Art and Design Summer Session. Work in Alfred’s world-class facilities alongside John Gill, Inchin Lee, Christina West, Alwyn O’Brien, Bruce Cochrane, Bill Carty and Sunshine Cobb. Courses are offered June 19 through July 21, and include four, two, or one week sessions. There is also a two week online course on Glaze Effects and Color taught by Matt Katz allowing you to study from the comfort of you own studio. For more information, or to register, visit art.alfred.edu/summer-school.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Bill Carty. He is a professor of ceramic engineering and materials science at Alfred University. In addition to instructing future ceramic engineers, he teaches art students how to develop problem-solving skills for their art practice. In our interview we talk about using data-based experimentation to dispel ceramic myths and how to remedy common issues such as crazing. To find more information about the ceramic engineering program at Alfred visit http://engineering.alfred.edu.

This episode of Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by Sonoma Ceramics in Sonoma, California. They are one of the North Bay’s leading ceramics studios, offering clay experiences for all ages, levels, and financial means. They will be hosting the Artstream Ceramics Symposium from March 31- April 2. The symposium consists of three days of exhibitions, conversations and demonstrations by internationally-known ceramics artists from the Artstream Nomadic Gallery. Doug Bro, Julia Galloway and Ben Carter will be demonstrating and representing three generations that work with diverse techniques and materials. Take this opportunity to experience historic Sonoma through clay! To register please visit www.SonomaCeramics.com.

This episode of the podcast is also sponsored by Alfred University School of Art and Design Summer Session. Work in Alfred’s world-class facilities alongside John Gill, Inchin Lee, Christina West, Alwyn O’Brien, Bruce Cochrane, Bill Carty and Sunshine Cobb. Courses are offered June 19 through July 21, and include four, two, or one week sessions. There is also a two week online course on Glaze Effects and Color taught by Matt Katz allowing you to study from the comfort of you own studio. For more information, or to register, visit art.alfred.edu/summer-school.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Cory Brown, William Newman-Wise and Yeh Rim Lee. The three are currently in their final year of graduate school at the NY State College of Ceramics at Alfred. In our interview we talk about practicing effective time management, developing relationships with faculty, and reckoning with Alfred's ceramic traditions. For more information on Cory Brown visit www.cory-brown.com. For more information on William Newman-Wise visit www.newman-wise.com. For more information on Yeh Rim Lee visit www.yeahrimlee.com. To find more information about the graduate program at Alfred visit www.alfredceramics.com.

This episode of Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by Sonoma Ceramics in Sonoma, California. They are one of the North Bay’s leading ceramics studios, offering clay experiences for all ages, levels, and financial means. Their Artist-in-Residence program provides an all inclusive experience, in which artists are integrated into the community studio to teach, exhibit, and support daily studio operations. Sonoma Ceramics is hosting the Artstream Ceramics Symposium from March 31- April 2. The symposium consists of three days of exhibitions, conversations and demonstrations by internationally-known ceramics artists from the Artstream Nomadic Gallery. Doug Bro, Julia Galloway and Ben Carter will be demonstrating and representing three generations that work with diverse techniques and materials. The dialogue between the artists will be lively and informative, from the technical to the conceptual. Take this opportunity to experience historic Sonoma through clay! To register and learn more about the Artstream Ceramics Symposium or Sonoma Ceramics, please visit www.SonomaCeramics.com. Spaces are limited so register today.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Andrea Gill. Her large-scale hand-built forms reference historical European vessels, patterns and the figure. Her most recent body of work springs from an ongoing fascination with the patterns of Chinese export ceramics. She has received awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tiffany Foundation, and the American Craft Council. Her work can be found in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery.

In the interview we talk about gender dynamics within the ceramic world in the 1960’s, knowing how to get a student to dig deeper in the studio, and her time teaching at the NY State College of Ceramics at Alfred, where she has been on the faculty since 1984. For more information on her work please visit www.alfredceramics.com/andrea-gill.html.

This week’s Tales of a Red Clay Rambler episode is sponsored by Big Ceramic Store.com. We’ve partnered together to offer you 15% off their entire website when you visit bigceramicstore.com/ben. Since 1999, BigCeramicStore has supported artists with an exceptional product line, outstanding customer service & insightful tips and techniques. So go to Bigceramicstore.com/ben to save 15% on glazes, tools, clays & much more!

This episode of the podcast is also sponsored by Adam Field Pottery. Adam has just updated his website with new workshops on Korean coil and paddled Onggi jars, as well as the intricately carved porcelain pots for which he is known. The extensive list of workshop locations includes Brooklyn Clay March 4 & 5th, two-weeks at La Meridiana in Tuscany April 9-22, as well as workshops in Boulder, CO, Gatlinburg, TN, and Deer Isle, ME to name a few. For more details on these wonderful learning opportunities, including a full list of locations and enrollment information, please visit AdamFieldPottery.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a double interview featuring Roberto Lugo and Wallace “Wally” Higgins. In the first segment I talk with Roberto about his Instagram project "Our Village's Baby," in which he raises awareness of artists of color and their contributions to the ceramic field. In the second segment I talk with Wally Higgins about his military and ceramic career. In his late teens he enlisted in the Army before going on to serve as one of the Tuskegee Airmen in what is now the U.S. Air Force. He served in Saipan and Oakinawa before returning to the states to get a BFA in ceramic design from Alfred University. After a few years working at the Glidden Pottery he came back to Alfred as a teacher, where he taught glaze materials and mold making. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1985. Among his many laudits, Wally has been awarded the WW-II Victory Medal, New York State Medal for Merit and two Congressional Gold Medals, the highest honor bestowed on a civilian in the United States.

In the interview we talk about his first experience with racism when he traveled to the south to train as a Tuskegee Airman, his expertise as a ceramic designer/mold maker, and his time teaching at Alfred. For more information please visit www.alfred.edu

This episode of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by Omnus Terra. The exhibition invites seven Australian and seven American artists, including former podcast guests Vicki Grimma, Shannon Garson, Jane Sawyer and Linda Fahey, to create a dialogue between the two cultures through a shared connection to clay. Like the scientific expeditions of the great explorers, “Omnus Terra” reaches out to far flung nations bringing a cargo of exotic, mysterious, and mesmerising objects to a foreign shore. The artists explore their landscape, ceramic history and culture, questioning the historical tropes of the ceramic medium through form and material. The exhibition will take place at Gallery 114 in Portland, OR, March 22-25 in conjunction with the 2017 NCECA conference. For more information please visit www.yondershop.com and look for the Omnus Terra link.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Bryan Hopkins. A long-time porcelain vessel maker, he constructs his pieces leaving the seams and joinery visible. The effect hints at the history of refined porcelain production, while also showing the potential for future decay and deconstruction. He says of his love of material, “I have been using porcelain for about 20 years now, and am drawn to its physical qualities (strength, fragility, color, translucence) as well as the implicit class association, cultural significance, and assumption of purity and worth.”

In the interview we talk about his time documenting punk bands, mining the urban landscape for inspiring textures/patterns, and developing a unique approach to beauty. To find out more about his work please visit www.hopkinspottery.com.

This episode of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by the 2017 Canadian Clay Symposium. Happening March 18th 2017 at the Shadbolt Center for the Arts in Vancouver, Canada, this one day symposium invites participants to explore our changing relationships with emerging technologies. Through interactive demonstrations, panel discussions and exhibits, a diverse group of ten international presenters will address the relevance of traditional and contemporary technologies. For more information or to register for the conference, please visit www.canadianclaysymposium.com.